Ball game



A. J. KAMP BALL GAME Oct. 23, 1962 Filed 001:. 19, 1960 3,059,927 BALL GAME Arthur J. Kamp, 168 Cresthill Ave., Tonawanda, N.Y. Filed Oct. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 63,593 2 Claims. ((Il. 27385) This invention relates to games and more particularly to an action Ping-pong game.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a miniature Ping-pong game which can be conveniently played by two, three, or four persons, in a realistic, authentic, and entertaining manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a miniature Ping-pong game of the above type in which the various operating parts can be controlled in a realistic manner, so as to guide and strike the Ping-pong ball in competitive play.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a miniature Ping-pong game bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and eificient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a miniature Pingpong game made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of certain operating parts of the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a miniaturePing-pong game made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a main table panel 12 having a pair of sides 14 defining a playing area. An end wall 16 projects upwardly at each end of the main table panel 12, for purposes hereinafter described, and a net 18 extends transversely across the central portion thereof.

At the top of each end wall 16 is a top wall 24} which forms a housing with the respective end wall 16 for a pair of laterally spaced apart paddle members. Each paddle member includes a concave back plate 22 and a layer 24 of rubber material overlying the concave side of the plate. Secured to the central portion of each such rigidback plate 22 is a shaft 26 terminating in an outwardly projecting handle portion 27. As is shown in FIGURE 3, each shaft portion 26 is secured centrally within an opening 28 provided in the rigid back plate 22.

A washer 30 slidably carried upon the shaft 26 abuts with the inside surface of the back end wall 16 to serve as an abutment for one end of a compression coil spring 32 acting at its opposite end upon the facing side of the rigid plate 22. Thus, in response to an outward pull upon the shaft 26, the simulated paddle member may be retracted so that upon release thereof, the spring 32 will drive it forwardly towards engagement with a Ping-pong ball during play.

Each of the top walls 21) and adjacent ends of the main table panel 12 is provided with an elongated slot 40 having an enlarged central portion through which individual pins 36 extend. The innermost ends of these pins 36 are secured within sockets 38 carried at the upper and lower ends of the back plates 22, to thus serve as a rotatable nited rates Patent ice and pivotal bearing for the simulated paddles under the control of the handles 27. Thus, it will be recognized that with the pins 36 secured to the back plates 22 and extending through the respective slots 40, the handle 27 may be used to tilt the paddles up and down and to rotate the same about the vertical axis, thus providing for all necessary control over the striking of the Pingpong ball in play.

Four players may use this game, each controlling a single one of the handles 27 to control the movement of each simulated paddle. However, should two players desire to play the game, tie members 42 may be secured within bail members 44 at the inner ends of each pair of paddle members, thus securing the paddles at each end of the playing board together for simultaneous movement. Thus, a single player can efiectively control the actuation of the entire paddle assembly at each end of the table, through the actuation of a single handle member 27.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A miniature Ping-pong game comprising, in combination, a main table panel having a net extending transversely across the center thereof, an upstanding end wall at each longitudinal extremity of said table panel, a pair of laterally spaced apart, simulated paddle members carried by each end wall in facing relationship with the paddle members carried by the other end wall, directional control means acting between each end wall and each paddle member, and spring means yieldably resisting movement of each paddle member carried by one end wall toward said end wall, said main table panel comprising a substantially rectangular bottom wall having a pair of upstanding side walls extending along the lateral sides thereof, the end walls being integral with opposite longitudinal extremities of said side walls and main table panel, each simulated paddle member comprising a substantially rectangular concave rigid plate, a layer of rubber overlying the concave side of said plate, each said paddle member extending substantially halfway across said respective end wall, said directional control means comprising a handle shaft projecting rearwardly from the center portion of each said paddle plate and bearing means acting between said respective paddle member and said end wall accommodating limited pivotal and longitudinal movement.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a compression coil spring encircling each said handle shaft acting between said paddle member and the respective end wall driving said paddle member toward the opposite end of said main table panel in response to release of said handle shaft from theretracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,606,826 Burger Nov. 16, 1926 2,161,463 Frost June 6, 1939 2,665,908 Gray Jan. 12, 1954 2,668,057 Fry Feb. 2, 1954 2,688,484 Garber Sept. 7, 1954 

